Morning Meanderings… a little road trip this morning

Good morning. Still under the weather here… a little sniffly and a little sneezy (that sounds like two dwarfs!) still, but moving forward. That said, it did not stop me from putting a baseball cap on my head, throwing on tennis shoes and a sweatshirt over my t shirt and sleep pants and taking a drive down the road to capture some pictures this morning for Alyce’s Saturday Snapshot.

Just down the road from where I live is The old Brainerd State Hospital. Once a flourishing environment of 22 large buildings and many State jobs, the hospital opened in 1958 and was able to house as many as 1,500 patients. In fact, in 1981, my first job was there, I worked in building 16 one summer as an activity assistant. I wasn’t old enough to drive then, but I road my bike to and from, Monday through Friday. Being a state job, it was the best pay scale I had for many years to come.

As Health Treatment philosophy changed in the later 1980’s the patient load declined rapidly until as of the last few years, the only buildings being used are 20,21, and 22. Last month they began to demo the other buildings.

I have lived in this home for the most part, since I was 3 years old. The State Hospital, besides a job – holds many memories for me. My cousins and I used to ride our bikes through the roadways within the property from the ages of 8 to 14.

This morning… I grabbed up my camera and took these pictures:

It is the end of an era.

Today I plan to lay low and recover. I have a book to read this morning, and a few of us from my book club are going to go to the afternoon showing of One For The Money, based off the book by Janet Evanovich.

My Deacon Roger and my neighbor Ruth worked there for many, many, years. I remember many times going there to pick her up. It’s sad to see all those big old buildings go. It’s too bad they didn’t sell them years ago before they were so rundown.

My mother-in-law worked at a local state hospital for several years and my husband spent a summer there, working on the grounds crew. We ran a 5k there last year. Philosophies have certainly changed in the mental health industry. I’m sure this is bittersweet for you, Sheila. Enjoy the movie. Think I’ll wait until it comes to DVD, but it does look funny.

Our book club has a bucket list Kay and one of the things on it is to do more movies from books together… I haven’t been out much the last few days other than work with this awful cold thing but I think this will be a nice change of atmosphere… and with friends! :D

It’s always bittersweet to see the landscape of our memories change. I think it’s especially noticeable in a small town (I grew up in one too).
Tweet after the movie and let us know what you think!!! I’m thinking of going but not this weekend. Have a great time with your friends!

Thanks Mary – there are a few great movies coming out this year and I want to be more pro active about getting people together and going. Usually I want to see a movie, think about it… never wind up going… and eventually see the DVD alone as my hubby falls asleep during movies.

It is sad to see places from our youth demolished and changed. Our state hospital wasn’t so nice – it was the filming location for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (it was also the setting/inspiration for the novel). It had a well-deserved poor reputation, and it was finally condemned and renovated in the past few years.

Sniffly was the 8th dwarf. He didn’t want to work in the mines and thought Hi Ho, Hi Ho was a dumb song, so he moved to California and got a job in the movie industry. He’s in The Wizard of Oz as a Munchkin. :D